The bombastic soccer star Megan Rapinoe this week called a financial settlement with U.S. Soccer over equal pay a major victory, but a former teammate sharply disagrees. Hope Solo, who previously played goalie for the U.S. Women’s National Team, on Thursday accused Rapinoe and Alex Morgan of selling out the national women’s team after they settled for $22 million.
Appearing on ABC’s Good Morning America Tuesday, an overjoyed Rapinoe called the settlement a "huge win for all women." Rapinoe, who has led the U.S. to World Cup titles and Olympic gold in recent seasons, said:
"We can't go back and undo the injustices that we've faced. The only justice coming out of this is that we know that something like this is never going to happen again and we can move forward in making soccer the best sport that we possibly can in this country and setting up the next generation so much better than we ever had it."
The angry Solo accused Rapinoe and Morgan of not fighting the soccer federation hard enough for equal pay. Her Instagram message states:
"Throughout the entire process, Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan were the two most agreeable with the Federation and to this day, continue to accept terms that are nowhere near what we set out to do. They both know this is not a win. They know it's an easy out of a fight they were never really in."
Solo (seen in above file photo) is moving ahead with a separate lawsuit seeking equal pay for women’s soccer team members that she filed in 2018.
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Heartbroken and infuriated, Solo also claimed the settlement "guarantees nothing to the next generation of players." She said language in the agreement states equal pay is contingent on the signing of a new collective bargaining agreement between U.S. Soccer and the men's and women's teams, adding:
"It doesn't exist yet and is not guaranteed. If the players had ever been successful in negotiating an equal CBA, there would've been no reason to sue the Federation in the first place."
Molly Hensley-Clancy of the Washington Post, reported the agreement ends a six-year legal battle for one of the lawsuits and includes a $22 million payment to players who signed on to the class-action suit.
Morgan said on Good Morning America, "This is just such a monumental step forward in feeling valued, feeling respected, and just mending our relationship with U.S. Soccer. I not only see this as a win for our team or women's sports but women in general. It's just an incredible day and a day that we're all really proud of."
Rapinoe tweeted:
“It’s a really amazing day. I think we're going to look back on this day and say this is the moment that, you know, U.S. Soccer changed for the better.” — @mPinoe on the #USWNT reaching a historic agreement in gender discrimination case. https://gma.abc/2UKP3ch:
Rapinoe’s pal in the White House, President Joe Biden (whom she once begged to choose her as his vice-presidential running mate), also approved of the deal that Solo finds revolting. On Twitter, he called it a “a long overdue victory in the fight for equal pay. I’m proud of the @USWNT for never giving up — on and off the field. Now, let’s close the pay gap in every industry.”